BAKU CRITICIZES U.S., NORWEGIAN EMBASSIES’ REACTION TO JOURNALIST VERDICT
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin
March 11, 2008
Russia
Baku was bewildered by recent statements from the U.S. and Norwegian
Embassies in Baku over the verdict issued to the opposition Azadlyg
newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Ganimet Zakhidov.
"We very much regret the statements made by these embassies," spokesman
for the Azeri Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibragim told a press conference
on Tuesday.
"The stand taken by the global community, including these countries,
on the outrageous human rights violations that took place in Armenia
in recent days, was very inappropriately soft," he said.
"This is why we cannot understand such a reaction from the U.S. and
Norwegian embassies, and we hope this will not happen again. Such
a reaction on their part is a manifestation of double standards,"
Ibragim said
Last Friday Zakhidov was sentenced to four years in prison on charges
of unruly behavior and assault. The Norwegian and U.S. embassies
condemned the verdict and called for Zakhidov’s release.